'Fréwaka' Review: An Eerie and Well Shot Atmospheric Folk Horror Gem
- Jack Ransom
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
By Jack Ransom - April 26, 2025
An Irish folk horror set to be released on Shudder. Fréwaka follows a student (Clare Monnelly) of nursing palliative care, who is plagued by a trauma from her past that has a disorienting effect on her present, her relationship, her career and her ability to function.
Folk horror is a genre that I really want to delve further into (at some point I will descend into the Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched documentary), the aesthetic and atmosphere always intrigues me and having only really scratched the surface with big hitters such as The Wicker Man, Midsommar, Hereditary & The Blair Witch Project and lesser mentioned recent outings such as Alex Garland’s Men & Starve Acre.
Fréwaka was a blind watch for me as I had never heard of it before the offer for the screener came through, and what a morbidly, unnerving surprise it was. Clocking in at 103 minutes, the film is a slow-burn that immediately sinks its teeth in after a suitably bleak and bizarre pre-title credits opening. From here, it largely takes place in a singular location as Shoo (Monnelly) attempts to care for the erratic and embittered Peig (Bríd Ní Neachtain) of whom is consistently aware and suspicious of something particularly sinister that surrounds her home and life.
Sure, Fréwaka isn’t rewriting the rulebook and the familiar heavy thematic weight of trauma hangs over its messaging, as well as on the nose iconography is certainly on the nose. That being said, the mood and atmosphere is damn chilling and it’s been a while since a horror film has clawed out a genuine sense of unease from me. The isolated locale, off-kilter sprinkling of the locals and the drip-feeding of supernatural and mythological threats will have the hairs on your neck rising.
From a production standpoint the film also looks very impressive. The immersive, claustrophobic and creaky homestead of Peig is an impressively designed set. From the many nooks and crannies, dust covered antiques and a mysteriously framed and decorated red basement door of which we know not what lies behind it. The costumes that appear on certain local inhabitants are bold and un-human and the sound design and soundtrack are both stellar: from every creak, thud, scream and cry, accompanied by the stabbing, folky twangs and chilling strings.
Performance-wise the cast do a very solid job. Clare Monnelly bears the burden of her fractured relationship with her late mother and her desperation to avoid facing it. Her simultaneous cynicism yet good heart makes her an engaging lead. Neachtain’s unpredictable, grouchy, paranoid and reclusive Peig makes for a tense counterpart and the pair work well together.
Fréwaka is an eerie, well shot and atmospheric gem that is well worth seeking out if you're a fan of the folk horror genre. It takes a little while to find its footing and ticks familiar genre boxes, but its thick atmosphere, spine-tingling visuals and sound design, spearheaded by two locked in lead performances make it a definite viewing for folk horror fans.
Fréwaka is streaming now on Shudder
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